Whether you’re addressing classmates, colleagues, friends or speaking publicly in front of students from business administration colleges, presentations are a great way to convey ideas as well as educate and persuade a group of people. Giving a presentation is not an easy task. It requires substantial research, organization, public speaking skills, and self-confidence. A good presenter has the ability to engage his or her listeners from beginning to end, compelling them to take action. But how can you best emphasize the key points of your presentation so that your audience hears, digests and remembers your message? How can you ensure that your listeners remember the right parts of your presentation? Not everyone has taken radio/tv broadcaster courses, so it’s normal that presentation skills are harder to master for some than for others.
With that in mind, here are some great tips and tricks for effective presentations.

This is important

Before a key point, announce, “This is important,” or a variation of that, then deliver the important line. You can also add a short pause just before announcing the important item. This is a simple trick, but in effect, it allows the audience to refocus their attention on you if they’ve lost track or become distracted. By emphasizing that an item is important, you increase the chance of the audience remembering it.

Make them laugh

Make the audience laugh, then get serious and deliver a key point or an important message. When your listeners laugh, they become more open and willing to accept new information. If you’re not particularly adept at comedy, prepare a joke in advance by including it directly in your presentation, such as a funny slide or graphic that precedes more serious content.

Look them in the eye

Don’t rely on your slides too much. If you read your content from the slide, it will look to your audience like you don’t really know your message or believe it yourself. Know your message, rehearse it ahead of time and deliver it by speaking directly to your audience.

Tell a story

People love stories and they hate lectures. If your presentation is too formal, you might lose the interest of the audience. Instead, consider sharing a story or anecdote about how the content of your presentation was learned or applied. Your story doesn’t have to be very long or complicated. It will give your presentation a real-world feel and added dimension that will complement your slides.

Repeat your main message three times, and reinforce it with images

Anyone with business management training will tell you: if you want your main message remembered, repeat it on three separate occasions. The repetition will ensure that your audience will retain it long after the presentation is over. By reinforcing the key message with images, your listeners will be able to make an important visual association that will also improve their chances of remembering your words. Make sure that during your presentation you include visuals and express yourself with appropriate body language.